Facts Matter: Trump shared video clip with false claims on Truth Social
President Donald Trump recently shared a video from a supporter on his Truth Social platform. The woman in the clip, “who voted for (Trump) three times,” implored the president to reinstate a law.
“I am hoping and praying that you will revisit what Barack Obama and Joe Biden got rid of back in 2013, which is the Smith-Mundt Act, which held news corporations accountable for lying to the American people, and spreading propaganda instead of truth,” the woman said.
She suggested the legislation would be called the “Charlie Kirk Act.”
But this claim, along with much of the video’s content, is false, according to PolitiFact.
The U.S. Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948, or the Smith-Mundt Act, was enacted to regulate broadcasting to foreign audiences, which led to the creation of Voice of America, a station funded by the U.S. government.
The act doesn’t apply to private news organizations and does not penalize the news corporations for their content.
In 2012, the law was amended, not repealed, by a bipartisan group, to update a “Cold-War Era law that hampers diplomatic, military efforts,” according to a May 15, 2012, news release from lawmakers. The focus of the Smith-Mundt Modernization Act was to repeal a ban on what the government-run stations could distribute to foreign audiences and in the United States.
“While the Smith-Mundt Act of 1948 was developed to counter communism during the Cold War, it is outdated for the conflicts of today,” Democratic Rep. Adam Smith, from Washington, said in the release.
Obama signed a law in 2013 that removed the ban, but left the Smith-Mundt Act in place.
Sorting out actual tributes
Conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed Sept. 10 during an event in Utah. The TurningPoint USA co-founder, a native of Arlington Heights, is survived by his wife and two young children.
There was an outpouring of tributes and support from celebrities and public figures, including President Donald Trump, former President Barack Obama, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Roseanne Barr and Dr. Phil, according to Yahoo! News.
But there was also an outpouring of fake news about honors and donations from many celebrities, according to the News Literacy Project.
A false post that purportedly came from the Indiana Fever said “peace-loving superstar” basketball player Caitlin Clark pledged to pay for all the educational expenses for Kirk’s children.
Football stars Jalen Hurts, Travis Kelce, Nick Bosa, Josh Allen, Aaron Rodgers, Malik Nabers and Jordan Love did not offer to donate $300,000 each to Kirk’s family.
A video posted on YouTube falsely claimed that singer Ed Sheeran, along with singer Adele, wrote a tribute song about Kirk.
And singers Eminem and Kid Rock did not get together to launch a charity in Kirk’s name.
However, Kid Rock did offer a tribute on X, calling Kirk “A true PATRIOT.”
Description has been altered
A screenshot of a “suspect search” has been circulating on social media for nearly a decade.
A post from last month includes an image from FOX8 News, showing a man sought by police and “considered armed & dangerous.” A description of the man gave his name, height, weight and a car he could be driving.
But an usual part of the description lists the man as having “dark white skin.”
But this didn’t actually happen, according to Reuters. The image, which has been around since at least 2017, has been altered.
FOX 8 news had addressed the false post in a 2017 tweet on X.
“This image did not originate from FOX8. It was altered. This is a distraction from us trying to help authorities locate a murder suspect,” the post said. It included side-by-side images of their original broadcast, showing the suspect and description, and the doctored image.
The suspect, accused of murder, killed himself following a police pursuit, FOX8 reported.
Misspelling is fake
A recent social media post has some users upset about an apparent misspelling.
An image shows demonstrators during a protest displaying a sign that reads, “Protect are kids.”
“Not from teachers, I hope,” wrote one commenter.
Another comment read, “I’m fed up of people who can’t even be bothered to learn OUR English language.”
The sign is real, but the misspelling is not, according to Reuters. The image has been altered. In other photos and videos from the event, the sign clearly reads, “Protect our kids.”
The photo, which was taken at a July demonstration in the English town of Epping, followed the arrest of an asylum-seeker, later found guilty of sexual assault.
• Bob Oswald is a veteran Chicago-area journalist and former news editor of the Elgin Courier-News. Contact him at boboswald33@gmail.com.